People with Developmental Disabilities

At the Centre For Sexuality, we believe that every person needs love and intimacy, needs to know how to express and receive affection, has the right to explore his or her sexuality and has the right to sexual health information, regardless of ability.

Services We Offer

One-on-one sessions

We offer individual sexual health education sessions for folks with developmental disabilities and their supports. These short sessions are intended to enhance a client’s understanding of sexual health topics, normalize healthy sexuality and support clients with making informed decisions about their own sexual health. Our team of educators can provide information on topics such as birth control options, sexually transmitted infections, anatomy, decision making and communication and media literacy. Sessions are available at the Centre for Sexuality during regular office hours (9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.). Sessions are generally one hour in length but can be longer if needed. Parents or support workers are encouraged to attend the session so they can reinforce and build on what was learned and discussed in the session.

Please note that our staff focus on normalizing healthy sexuality and supporting clients with making informed choices that are right for them. We do not offer interventions to modify, reduce or eliminate specific sexual behaviours or problems. Our support model emphasizes individual choice and self-determination and as such, participation in any of our sessions is purely voluntary.

Request an Appointment

To request a one-on-one education session, please complete an online Client Information Form. This information will help our team direct you to the services and supports most useful to you. This may include booking services with us, or a referral to one of our trusted community partners. To ensure the accuracy of information, we ask that the form be completed by the client(s) who will be attending the sessions (with assistance from a support person if necessary).

If you would like assistance completing this form, please contact our office by calling 403-283-5580, or by contacting our Intake Coordinator at mmyers-stewart@centreforsexuality.ca

Workshops & Training

For Support workers: Centre For Sexuality offers various professional development sessions throughout the year. A new session called “Supporting Healthy Sexuality in People with Developmental Disabilities” is available for individuals or groups. To register or find out more information, contact Becky VanTassel at bvantassel@calgarysexualhealth.ca or 403-283-5580 ext. 323.

For Parents: CFS offers workshops to parents of children with a disability on how to support healthy sexual development.

High School Education

CFS provides sexual health education in CBE classrooms, and for over 10 years we have been providing an adapted sexual health education program to students with developmental disabilities in PLP, ALP and Access classes. If you think your child’s teacher might be interested in our education services, please feel free to give them our contact information. For high school education bookings, teachers can call us at 403-283-5580 or email us at booking@calgarysexualhealth.ca.

Right to Love Advocacy Group

Right to Love (R2L) is a group of people with disabilities and our allies working together to make healthy choices about love. Our vision is a city where people have the right and the support to make healthy choices about love. R2L organizes parties where people can meet each other, has meetings to talk about the right to love and support each other, and advocates for people’s right to love in Calgary.

Who is Right to Love?

Right to Love is made up of people with disabilities and allies who believe in every person’s right to love, relationships and sexual health information.

What do we believe?

Everyone is a sexual being.

Everyone deserves education and support.

Everyone loves.

Where do our members come from?

Right to Love is a partnership between the Centre For Sexuality and the Disability Action Hall, but we welcome anyone within the Calgary community who wants to create change for people with disabilities.